For the love of Hyuuga
by Chaos-Paladin
Summary: Hyuuga Neji, a proud and powerful branch member, yearns for answers that disturbs his peaceful nights. Fortunately, there is one person who can help him overcome. Nejiten.


I don't own Naruto. Wow, it feels good to say that for the first time.

Welcome to my first Naruto fiction! After listening to a song called "Why don't you kiss her?" by Jessie Mccartney, I immediately thought of this one-shot. Hopefully, this will keep you over until I finish my chapters for the other stories. Besides, this is good practice for when I begin writing Naruto stories. Please enjoy.

WARNING: This is post time-skip, so be sure you're familiar with what happens after before reading this. It may contain spoilers, though very small.

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"It's cold tonight." The white eyed teen whispered to himself, puffs of smoke flowing out of his breath. He brushed his long black hair behind his ear, making sure to tuck it under his leaf headband. Within the Hyuuga mansion, inside a spacious and clean room and sitting by the window, was the cool, calm and collected Jounin of the Hidden Leaf, Hyuuga Neji. He was uncharacteristically restless this winter night. Not even he understood what was going through his mind that kept him awake, even less knew what was irritating him. Perhaps it was the fact he spotted his cousin leaping over the gates, rushing to a certain place. 

The Uzumaki residence to be exact.

To Neji, this was nothing new. Ever since the Chuunin exam, he always knew of Hinata's secret affections for Naruto. Not only did he accept it, he encouraged the idea. Naruto's overwhelming spirit and confidence was the best thing for Hinata, who was always so shy and withdrawn. Every time he saw her with Naruto, it tugged at him like a fish hook, annoying and unyielding. It always kept him away, and even worse, he couldn't even begin describing how he felt, or why.

"…A walk wouldn't hurt." Neji stood up and took off, hopeful his mind would be cleared of confusion.

Outside, the chilled winds whipped through the night air, causing Neji's Hyuuga styled robe to flutter. He walked down the streets, surprised there were other people outside besides him at such an ungodly hour. There were even some shops open for late comers to purchase last minute items. Strangely, there were many couples out tonight. Again, he started feeling the annoying and unyielding tug, but failed to grasp it.

The entire ordeal was starting to get on Neji's nerves quite honestly.

With a sigh, Neji continued to walk aimlessly through Konoha, reaching a small fence that separated the grassy land from the crystal clear lake. Konoha was always known for having beautiful landscapes and scenery, this one being one of Neji's favorites. The lake reminded him of his eyes, clear, yet full of mystery. He rested his arms along the fence, releasing a more relaxed sigh. Just thinking about his troubled thoughts was getting him nowhere. He needed a means of seeking answers, something concrete, or at least a direction. But where would he find such a thing, especially this late at night?

"Neji?" A feminine voice called.

'_Speak of the devil.'_ Neji thought humorously. He turned to greet the owner of the familiar voice. "Tenten. What are you doing up at this hour?"

The brunette shrugged. "No particular reason. I just thought I would enjoy this romantic evening with a walk under the moonlight. What about yourself?"

'_Romantic…'_ That word alone was almost a clue, but Neji dismissed it for now. He turned to face the water again. "I don't even understand my reason for coming out tonight."

"Oh? What's the matter?" The Chuunin asked, filled with curiosity.

Neji made a tired sigh. "I wish I knew how to explain."

Tenten walked next to Neji, resting her arms on the fence similar to Neji's fashion. "Let's start with what you know."

Neji paused before answering, carefully picking out his words. "I just have this nagging feeling. I'm unsure of what's causing it, but it happens on very strange occasions. Whether it is watching two people together, or hearing them talk about those they care about. The feeling is especially strong when I see two couples together, enjoying their time together."

Tenten had a surprised look on her face at first, but then calmed down and smiled. "Ah, I get it. I have to say, I'm surprised with you, Neji."

"What do you mean?" Neji glanced down at Tenten, his pearl eyes connecting with her brown ones.

"That tugging feeling is a sense of envy. The annoying tug you feel is probably loneliness."

"That can't be it." Neji denied. "Lee is always bugging me about one thing or another, as is Gai-sensei. You always train with me on the daily basis. I'm either with you or Lee almost every waking moment. How could I feel lonely?"

"No, no. I don't mean like that." Tenten shook her head, turning her attention to the water. "What I mean is that you're not lonely from being with other people, your lonely from the feeling of connecting with someone you love, or rather, you might be starting to develop that kind of desire."

"Love…?" Neji was asking himself more than Tenten. With the small surge he felt from that word, he immediately realized that his problem revolved around that word in some shape or form. He needed more to understand. "Tenten, what is love exactly?"

"What is love? Um…hmm…where do I begin…?" The weapon specialist started scratching her head, attempting to come up with a plausible definition. "Well, there are many different kinds. The relationship with Lee and Gai-sensei is one kind of love. The one with Naruto and Iruka-sensei is another. The kind that might be bothering you is the type that Lee has for Sakura, though that's purely one-sided."

"Hopefully it isn't as frightening as Lee's." Neji commented.

Tenten giggled at the comical statement. "Too true. Don't worry, I doubt you'll even come close to Lee's level of dramatics."

There was something to Tenten's laughter. He heard her laugh many times before, but this time, her laugh gave Neji a small tug in his chest. "So…you say my issue might be something related to love?"

"Sure sounds like it."

"Hn." Neji looked forward, his mind trying to fit the pieces together. There was something he wondered about Tenten. "Tenten…is there someone you love in such a way?"

"Huh? Um…" Tenten reddened, caught off guard. "Well…that's sort of hard to answer…"

"Why is it?" Neji pressed on.

"Uh…it's hard because…um…" Tenten started staring downwards, embarrassment all over her face. She couldn't help but wonder what brought up so many questions out of Neji, surprised that the jounin had been holding these questions in this the entire time.

'_Hm, amusing.'_ Another feeling, similar to the one Neji got when Tenten laughed, pulled at his chest. Somehow, it revolved around the embarrassed look on Tenten's face. "If it is that hard, you don't need to answer."

"It's not like that, but…it's just a little embarrassing. It's tough for girls to answer such a direct question like that. Be sure to keep that in mind."

"Hn." Neji nodded. It sure seemed that way with Tenten. "So what is it that makes it difficult to speak about it? I imagine it would be easy."

"It's because…well…it's because stuff like that is like a golden treasure to us. Sure, it's embarrassing to just name people you love like that sometimes, but also…" Tenten's eyes grew distant, as though she was thinking about that special person in her heart, "It's something that we cherish the most in our lives."

"I see…" That would explain why some girls go through extensive lengths for boys they liked, the runaway Uchiha being a prime example. Seeing the look in Tenten's eyes captured his attention. Her eyes had a strong essence of passion coming from them, pulling Neji into the depths of her eyes. He didn't feel like pulling away, but continue to stare into them. It made him feel relaxed and clearer of mind, helping him overcome his lack of understanding and confusion little by little.

"N-Neji…? What are you staring at?" Tenten asked timidly, a pink tint on her cheeks.

"Hm? Oh, I apologize. I was deep in thought, so I didn't notice." Neji faced away, feeling embarrassed for staring at his teammate.

"No, it's okay. Really." The air between them grew slightly awkward. Tenten knew clearly why, but Neji was the opposite.

"Tenten?"

"Yes, Neji?"

"What can I do to stop the nagging sensation?"

Tenten started thinking up possibilities that would help Neji. "Well, with stuff like that, maybe…getting a hug from someone that makes you feel special."

"A hug?" Neji was sufficiently confused.

"Ah, what I mean is, if there's someone you really care about, getting a huge from that person should give you that feeling of love you're probably wanting. Of course, that's just one way of going about it."

Neji thought about that. He obviously knew what hugs were, and he didn't think they were anything too special. It wouldn't hurt to try. "If I were to do such a thing, how would I know who to hug?"

"Well, heaven forbid Lee." Tenten laughed. She stopped once she noticed Neji not joining her laughter. "But seriously, I can't answer that. Just think of someone you've been with for a long time that you might have a strong connection with."

"Hn." Neji started thinking about people who fulfilled those requirements. Though Hinata had known him for a long time, they didn't have enough of a connection to consider it strong. Hiashi's connection was a little strong, and he had known him for a good amount of time, but Hiashi was definitely on the bottom on the list of people he would hug, along with Lee and Gai. He didn't know anyone else except one other person who fulfilled those requirements.

Tenten.

A strong gale swept by, sending chills down Neji and Tenten's spines. "Whew, it's getting really cold now. Achoo!" Tenten sneezed, rubbing her arms for warmth.

"Hmm…" Pieces were beginning to click together. He remembered hugs from his deceased father. It was warm and comforting. He felt he could be in his father's arms forever. Seeing Tenten suffer from the biting winter made him want to do something to help. After all, it would be bad for her to get a cold. With a sense of duty in mind, his slipped his arms around Tenten's shoulders, gently pulling her close.

Tenten made a silent gasp, startled by Neji's unexpected action. She certainly warmed up alright, turning bright red. "N-N-Neji?"

"My father…he used to hold me like when I was cold. I thought it would help. Or…is this a bad thing?" Neji asked, suddenly realizing his hasty decision.

"Oh, no, this is actually nice. I…I like this." Tenten rested herself in Neji's chest, closing her eyes.

Neji also started feeling warmer, but not only that. Everything was suddenly clear in his mind.

This was what Neji wanted.

'_So this was what has been bothering me.'_ Neji closed his eyes, a soft smile on his face. _'I've missed this feeling.'_

Tenten was so relaxed; she barely registered whispering her next sentence. "I love you, Neji…"

Neji's eyes snapped open. Did he hear that right? "Tenten?"

"Yes, Neji?" Tenten opened her eyes, staring into Neji's surprised ones. Neji didn't need to say one heard, since the message was written across his face. Her eyes widened.

Oh. My. God.

"N-N-Neji? You didn't hear me say anything weird, did you?"

"You just said I love you Neji." Neji answered simply, still having a surprised look on his face. Never did he expect the only normal girl in Konoha to feel that way about him.

'_Oh my god, oh my god! I can't believe I just said that! I'm dumber than Naruto!' _Tenten panicked. "I-I'm so sorry, Neji! Please, disregard what I said."

Neji was once again confused, mainly as to why Tenten was so distressed. "Tenten, its al—"

"R-really, that was silly! Saying such weird stuff like that out of nowhere! Really, I'm sorr—OW!" Tenten hissed. She failed to realize that she was holding onto the fence so hard that her finger were pressed too hard on one of the sharp points of the fence. She lifted her hand to see that her finger was bleeding. "Damn that was careless." She cursed.

"Let me see." Neji used his free hand to hold Tenten's hand. He instinctively leaned over and placed his lips over her cut, cleaning the cut. Tenten was rendered speechless, her face infinite shades of red. "There, that should help." The hyuuga member said, done healing the cut. The last thing he wanted was for her to catch an infection from the cut, though to Tenten, it was a deed that went beyond healing cuts.

Neji turned his face to look at Tenten, as did the weapon master. Their eyes locked, slightly wide. Time seemed to have stopped for the two, nothing else existing in their minds except for the person they were staring longingly at. Their bodies and desires yearned for that one small act of affection. Their movements were slow, both scared and hesitant to go forward. Ultimately, there was no avoiding what they really wanted as their lips softly connected. The ecstasy that filled both their hearts and minds was beyond anything they could've dreamed, the feel and taste of the others lips was more than they could ever hope for.

They parted their passionate kiss, only to stare at each other in amazement, their hands clasping each others. "Tenten…"

"Oh Neji…" Neither had a clue what to do next, both new to their newly found discovery.

"I…I don't know what to say…" Neji spoke softly.

Tenten closed her eyes, smiling serenely. "Just say what you feel."

"Say what I feel, huh? I think I will." It was Neji's turn to smile, speaking three simple words before reuniting their lips once more.

"Thank you, Tenten."

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My, this was full of cliché and fluff! Hopefully you enjoyed this little entry. Be sure to review and tell me your experience with my first Naruto one-shot. 


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